LP3990
SNVS251J –MAY 2004–REVISED SEPTEMBER 2014
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The actual power being dissipated in the device can be represented by Equation 2:
PD= (VIN - VOUT) x IOUT (2)
These two equations establish the relationship between the maximum power dissipation allowed due to thermal
consideration, the voltage drop across the device, and the continuous current capability of the device. These two
equations should be used to determine the optimum operating conditions for the device in the application.
In applications where lower power dissipation (PD) and/or excellent package thermal resistance (RθJA) is present,
the maximum ambient temperature (TA-MAX) may be increased.
In applications where high power dissipation and/or poor package thermal resistance is present, the maximum
ambient temperature (TA-MAX) may have to be derated. TA-MAX is dependent on the maximum operating junction
temperature (TJ-MAX-OP = 125°C), the maximum allowable power dissipation in the device package in the
application (PD-MAX), and the junction-to ambient thermal resistance of the part/package in the application (RθJA),
as given by Equation 3:
TA-MAX = (TJ-MAX-OP – (RθJA × PD-MAX)) (3)
Alternately, if TA-MAX can not be derated, the PDvalue must be reduced. This can be accomplished by reducing
VIN in the 'VIN–VOUT' term as long as the minimum VIN is met, or by reducing the IOUT term, or by some
combination of the two.
8.2.2.2 External Capacitors
In common with most regulators, the LP3990 requires external capacitors for regulator stability. The LP3990 is
specifically designed for portable applications requiring minimum board space and smallest components. These
capacitors must be correctly selected for good performance.
8.2.2.3 Input Capacitor
An input capacitor is required for stability. It is recommended that a 1-µF capacitor be connected between the
LP3990 IN pin and GND pin (this capacitance value may be increased without limit).
This capacitor must be located a distance of not more than 1 cm from the IN pin and returned to a clean
analogue ground. Any good quality ceramic, tantalum, or film capacitor may be used at the input.
Important: To ensure stable operation it is essential that good PCB design practices are employed to minimize
ground impedance and keep input inductance low. If these conditions cannot be met, or if long leads are used to
connect the battery or other power source to the LP3990, then it is recommended that the input capacitor is
increased. Also, tantalum capacitors can suffer catastrophic failures due to surge current when connected to a
low-impedance source of power (like a battery or a very large capacitor). If a tantalum capacitor is used at the
input, it must be ensured by the manufacturer to have a surge current rating sufficient for the application.
There are no requirements for the ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) on the input capacitor, but tolerance and
temperature coefficient must be considered when selecting the capacitor to ensure the capacitance will remain
approximately 1 µF over the entire operating temperature range.
8.2.2.4 Output Capacitor
The LP3990 is designed specifically to work with very small ceramic output capacitors. A 1-µF ceramic capacitor
(temperature types Z5U, Y5V or X7R/X5R) with ESR between 5 mΩto 500 mΩ, is suitable in the LP3990
application circuit.
For this device the output capacitor should be connected between the OUT pin and GND pin.
It is also possible to use tantalum or film capacitors at the device output, but these are not as attractive for
reasons of size and cost (see Capacitor Characteristics).
The output capacitor must meet the requirement for the minimum value of capacitance and also have an ESR
value that is within the range 5 mΩto 500 mΩfor stability.
8.2.2.5 No-Load Stability
The LP3990 will remain stable and in regulation with no external load. This is an important consideration in some
circuits, for example CMOS RAM keep-alive applications.
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